Washington State China Relations Council

What Washington State China Relations Council does

The Washington State China Relations Council (WSCRC) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association founded in 1979 and headquartered at 1301 5th Avenue, Suite 1500, Seattle, Washington. It is the oldest U.S. state-level organization dedicated to improving bilateral ties with China and has co-hosted every Chinese leadership visit to the Pacific Northwest since Deng Xiaoping, including President Xi Jinping's 2015 state visit. WSCRC serves a membership spanning global enterprises (Microsoft, Boeing, Greater Pacific Industries, Brown & Haley), Washington State government agencies (Department of Commerce, Port of Seattle, Northwest Seaport Alliance), law firms (Dorsey & Whitney), communications firms (Nyhus Communications), and academic institutions (University of Washington), facilitating trade missions, policy briefings, and networking across the U.S.-China relationship.

WSCRC does not operate as a technology provider. Its offerings consist entirely of membership services, trade promotion, policy advocacy, delegation facilitation, and policy publications. The revenue model relies on annual membership fees (pricing not publicly disclosed, quote-based, billed annually) supplemented by tax-deductible charitable donations routed through a 501(c)(3) sister entity, the Washington State China Relations Fund (WSCRF), established in April 2020 to enable educational programming. The organization's go-to-market is event-driven: annual U.S.-China Symposium, annual gala, recurring China Town Hall programming with the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, trade missions to China, and a steady cadence of webinars, book talks, and quarterly reports. Distribution is regional (Washington State) with select national and China-facing partnerships.

In April 2023, WSCRC executed a structural refocus by transferring its cultural and educational programs to a newly established Asia Society Seattle office, concentrating its own mandate on trade promotion and policy advocacy. Governance rests with a volunteer board chaired by Marc Berger (also VP/Partner at Nyhus Communications), with executive leadership currently held by Executive Director Dr. Man Wang, who was appointed November 1, 2024 after serving as Director of the organization since December 2018. The organization has longstanding relationships with sister-city and municipal partners in China (notably Hangzhou and Shenzhen) and AmCham counterparts in Beijing and Shanghai.

Name

Washington State China Relations Council

Legal name

Washington State China Relations Council

Website

https://wscrc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

WSCRC is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association founded in 1979 in Seattle, the oldest U.S. state-level organization dedicated to strengthening Washington State–China ties. It serves member companies, government agencies, and academic institutions through events, trade missions, and policy advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association / International Relations Advocacy

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (813920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

International Economic & Trade Cooperation Organizations (BPADAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Multilateral Diplomacy & International Representation (UN, Regional Bodies) (BPAIAIAC)

Keywords

• Bilateral trade relations
• Policy advocacy
• Trade missions
• Economic diplomacy
• International networking

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: WSCRC generates revenue through membership fees collected from companies, government agencies, and individual experts who join the council. Members receive access to events, networking opportunities, trade missions, and policy briefings.
2. Charitable Donations (via WSCRF): The Washington State China Relations Fund (WSCRF), the charitable arm of WSCRC, is a 501(c)(3) organization that accepts tax-deductible charitable donations to support educational programs promoting stronger business, educational, and cultural ties between Washington State and China.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

WSCRC is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association that promotes bilateral trade, investment, and cultural ties between Washington State and China. It sells annual memberships to companies, government agencies, and individual experts, granting access to trade missions, policy briefings, delegations, networking events, and the annual U.S.-China Symposium. The organization also facilitates delegations between Washington and Chinese government and business leaders and publishes policy and economic reports on the Washington-China relationship.

Product overview

The Washington State China Relations Council (WSCRC) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade organization, not a technology product company. It does not offer software products or technology services. The organization's offerings consist of trade promotion, policy advocacy, delegation facilitation, policy analysis, and educational programs. No named products, modules, or technology offerings were identified in the source material.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WSCRC Membership Annual paid membership for companies, government agencies, and individual experts that grants access to WSCRC events, trade missions, policy briefings, the member directory, and networking with U.S. and Chinese government and business leaders. Specific tiers and pricing are not publicly disclosed and must be requested directly.
• Annual U.S.-China Symposium Annual flagship half-day conference bringing together leading regional and national voices to examine the evolving U.S.-China relationship from a Washington State perspective. Open to members and non-members with sponsorship tiers (Microsoft, Port of Seattle, Northwest Seaport Alliance, Dorsey & Whitney, Greater Pacific Industries among past sponsors). The 2nd annual edition is scheduled for October 15, 2026.
• China Town Hall Program Annual national webcast plus local Seattle discussion held in partnership with the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations and the University of Washington, with Dorsey & Whitney as venue sponsor. Provides members and the broader community access to high-level analysis of U.S.-China relations.
• Washington State Trade Missions to China Organized delegations to China enabling member companies and Washington State officials to engage directly with Chinese government and business leaders, with recent trips including the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai and the 8th IASC Aerospace Summit in Hunan Province.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $29 billion in Washington-China trade facilitated (2014 data)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• Quincy InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 October 2025WSCRC partnered with the Quincy Institute to co-produce the summary report from the inaugural U.S.-China Symposium in October 2025. The report 'From Washington State to Washington DC: Applying Washington State Problem-Solving Experience to U.S. China Relations' provides practical recommendations for strengthening U.S.-China engagement.
• Asia Society SeattlecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2023In April 2023, WSCRC transferred its cultural and educational programs to a newly established Asia Society Seattle office. This integration allows WSCRC to focus on trade-promotion and policy-advocacy while leveraging Asia Society's 501(c)(3) status for educational programming. The new Asia Society Seattle office draws upon WSCRC's experience, connections, and brand equity to expand programming.
• University of Washington (China Studies Program and East Asia Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with UW's China Studies Program and East Asia Center. Co-hosts the annual China Town Hall local discussions and other educational events. UW professors serve as panelists and contribute to WSCRC programs.
• World Affairs Council SeattlecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for co-hosting China Town Hall events and other programs related to U.S.-China relations. The World Affairs Council provides venue support and promotional reach.
• American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham China)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on business surveys and webinars. AmCham China President Michael Hart has spoken at WSCRC events. WSCRC hosted AmCham Shanghai delegation in 2023.
• American Chamber of Commerce in ShanghaistrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsored webinar on China's NPC and CPPCC 'Two Sessions' meetings. Partnership brings together Washington state business perspective with AmCham Shanghai's China market expertise.
• National Committee on U.S.-China Relations (NCUSCR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual partnership for China Town Hall program. NCUSCR provides the national webcast keynote while WSCRC hosts local Seattle discussion. This is a long-standing national program that WSCRC has participated in for multiple years.
• Rainier ClubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-hosted post-election U.S.-China relations panel discussion in January 2025. Partnership for venue and member access.
• Dorsey & Whitney LLPstrategicImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLaw firm provides venue for China Town Hall events and contributes legal expertise on trade, export controls, and national security topics. Nelson Dong, WSCRC board member, is Of Counsel at the firm.
• Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of CommercestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on International Leadership Mission to Shenzhen in May 2016, organizing delegations with Mayor Ed Murray and 60 business leaders.
• Trade Development Alliance of Greater SeattlestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with WSCRC on the 2016 International Leadership Mission to China, supporting international partnership development.
• City of HangzhoustrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister city relationship; WSCRF facilitated PPE donation from Hangzhou to Seattle during COVID-19 pandemic. Partnership includes economic cooperation agreements.
• Shenzhen Foundation for International Exchange and CooperationstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerWSCRC signed agreement in 2016 to enhance strategic relationships and promote non-governmental cooperation between Shenzhen and Seattle, focusing on cross-border enterprises, entrepreneurs, and joint cultural and environmental programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham China): A membership-based trade association representing U.S. business interests in China. WSCRC has an active strategic partnership with AmCham China (joint surveys and webinars, hosted AmCham Shanghai delegation in 2023), and the two organizations serve overlapping Washington-state corporates seeking China market intelligence.
• Asia Society: A leading educational organization dedicated to promoting mutual understanding between the U.S. and Asia. WSCRC transferred its cultural and educational programs to a newly established Asia Society Seattle office in April 2023, making Asia Society a direct partner and structural analogue in the bilateral-engagement space.
• American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai (AmCham Shanghai): A non-profit membership organization serving U.S. businesses operating in Shanghai and eastern China. WSCRC co-sponsors webinars with AmCham Shanghai on Chinese policy events (e.g., Two Sessions meetings) and shares the same bilateral trade-promotion mandate at the subnational / city level.
• World Affairs Council Seattle: A Seattle-based nonprofit that engages the public on global affairs. WSCRC partners with World Affairs Council Seattle to co-host China Town Hall and other U.S.-China events, and the two organizations share a regional Seattle audience, members, and venue infrastructure.
• National Committee on U.S.-China Relations: The leading national nonprofit dedicated to building understanding between the U.S. and China. WSCRC partners annually with NCUSCR on the China Town Hall program, and the two organizations occupy the same bilateral-relations mission space — NCUSCR at the national level, WSCRC at the subnational Washington State level.

Emerging players

• Greater China Business Council (or comparable state-China body, e.g., California-China trade bodies): Other state-level or regional organizations focused on U.S.-China subnational engagement (e.g., California-China trade and investment offices, US-China Peoples Friendship Association state chapters). They compete with WSCRC for corporate memberships seeking China exposure at the state level and serve as alternative engagement channels.

Broad incumbents

• The U.S.-China Business Council (USCBC): A major private, nonprofit membership organization representing U.S. companies doing business with China. USCBC shares WSCRC's trade-promotion and policy-advocacy remit but operates at national scope with corporate members across all 50 states, making it the most direct national-scale analogue to WSCRC's Washington-China focus.
• National Association of Counties / Council of State Governments (international programs): U.S. intergovernmental bodies that coordinate subnational international engagement, including with China. They represent a broader, less China-specialized alternative channel for the same state-level diplomatic and trade-facilitation work that WSCRC performs.

Regional players

• Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce: The regional chamber of commerce for the Seattle metro. WSCRC partnered with the Seattle Chamber on the 2016 International Leadership Mission to Shenzhen, and both organizations serve overlapping enterprise members — particularly those with Asia-Pacific trade interests.
• Trade Development Alliance of Greater Seattle: A regional public-private partnership that promotes international trade for the Seattle metro area. WSCRC and Trade Development Alliance co-organized the 2016 International Leadership Mission to China and serve overlapping Pacific Northwest business and government stakeholders.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wscrc1979
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2257334

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Washington State China Relations Council